In the construction of various surfaces to achieve decorative effects, two- or three-dimensional surfaces have been created such as on floor tiles. By varying the colors of the various tiles and by changing the arrangement of the size and/or orientation, various effects are achieved. For example, these effects range from the mosaic appearance, that is, non-ordered, to completely ordered symmetrical effects. Further, floor tiles have carrried various patterns which have created some optical illusions. For the most part, floor tiles have been two-dimensional or have used color and contrast for creating different appearances, i.e., such as in the Roman mosaics and the like.
Further, three-dimensional visual effects have also been created in these two-dimensional tiles, such as by imparting variously alternating wavy lines giving the appearance of a three-dimensional, wavy surface.
For facades, e.g., for building, walls, etc., or for interior surfaces, three-dimensional surfaces have been created by having building blocks formed of threedimensionally raised and lowered surfaces or even hollow passages, thereby creating a pleasing or striking visual appearance.
Furthermore, terra cotta construction has been employed to give exquisite details to building facades. Some of these have had a glazed surface which has created further distinguishing features, such as in color and light.
In general, the three-dimensional repeating structures that have been created have found acceptance, but for a single common element in the basic building or construction element there have been limited possibilities for creating a varied visual appearance attributable to the interplay of the light on the surfaces.
Still further, the limited application of the interplay has been based on the difficulty in assembling intricate, three-dimensional patterns, since it is difficult for the worker or artist optically to relate these patterns by working with these in such a manner as not to commit errors in the assembling or errors when using the material in building a structure.
Although almost any surface reflects light, in a manner, if it has a different angle of incidence from a surface next to it, this effect can further be enhanced if the intersections of these surfaces are presented in such a form as to cause reflection, shadow, or shade refraction in almost infinite varieties. To wit, this principle is being used such as in cut glass, i.e., crystal manufacture and shaping, and this principle has often been employed with striking results, such as in the cut crystals or chandeliers that employ this principle. However, the assembling of almost an infinite variety of structures based on only one or at most two faces of a single element is not known to the inventor.